Uh, governments of all kinds build infrastructure. In our country the peoples' money (taxes) build infrastructure for the benefit of all. The comment was just dumb and indicative of someone who does not value individual contribution but believes that big government solves all problems.

In fact, our infrastructure is decaying because our government has not been allocating the necessary tax revenue to maintain it. Figures from our local gov published last week indicate they are spending a small fraction of what is really required for local road maintenance.

The whole "you didn't build that" issue had nothing to do with infrastructure. And if you want to get technical, half the infrastructure being built in California is built by private developers as a condition of their projects. So, no, government is not building that.

The whole "you didn't build that" had to do with businesses, especially small businesses. Obama claimed without the help of government, those businesses could not exist. Which is an absolute crock. We all know how difficult it is to run a business in this state, in spite of California's overbearing government.

So it was a perfect quote to seize upon. It's only gotten more difficult to run a business in this country, no thanks to the government that Obama created. Which didn't build it.

He said "somebody" helped, not "government". Teachers were referenced. He also mentioned, "roads and bridges" in a sentence that preceded the "you didn't build that" statement. So, yes, President Obama did specifically reference infrastructure immediately prior to the statement with which you and I take issue. It was a clumsy thing to say.

“There are a lot of wealthy, successful Americans who agree with me — because they want to give something back. They know they didn’t — look, if you’ve been successful, you didn’t get there on your own. You didn’t get there on your own. I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There are a lot of smart people out there. It must be because I worked harder than everybody else. Let me tell you something — there are a whole bunch of hardworking people out there.

“If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen. The Internet didn’t get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet. The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together.”

The internet is a great example of government helping to build infrastructure so that people can benefit (and UCSB played a big role in that too).

Anyone who works in technology knows the government funds all kinds of research, private/public partnerships, and other initiatives that benefit the private sector. As with any investment portfolio, not all of them bear fruit but many do.

How many people here are comfortable with Bain Capital subsidiary Intercivic supplying voting machines?Despite our many and varied disagreements on issues, I think we all want a free and fair election?

The fallout from Obama's speech and Gore's speech are similar examples of what's wrong with American politics. Both men's words were twisted and taken out of context, given an entirely new meaning, then feed to the sheep.

If anyone's ever put words in your mouth that you didn't say, you might understand.

:: "Al Gore was the first political leader to recognize the importance of the Internet and to promote and support its development.

:: "No one person or even small group of persons exclusively "invented" the Internet. It is the result of many years of ongoing collaboration among people in government and the university community. But as the two people who designed the basic architecture and the core protocols that make the Internet work, we would like to acknowledge VP Gore's contributions as a Congressman, Senator and as Vice President. No other elected official, to our knowledge, has made a greater contribution over a longer period of time.

:: "Last year [1999] the Vice President made a straightforward statement on his role.He said: "During my service in the United States Congress I took the initiative in creating the Internet." We don't think, as some people have argued, that Gore intended to claim he "invented" the Internet. Moreover, there is no question in our minds that while serving as Senator, Gore's initiatives had a significant and beneficial effect on the still-evolving Internet. The fact of the matter is that Gore was talking about and promoting the Internet long before most people were listening. We feel it is timely to offer our perspective. [continued...]"http://www.interesting-people.org/arc...

well it's not a joke that 51% of responders to this weird poll feel better off than 4 years ago (though 5% feel worse about it)! This thread mirrors the nation and this means obama wins it in a squeaker, though his Electoral College numbers will likely be robust. Abel, hope you're reading this. PS at least we got the Thorns to spread their bile elsewhere!

ex-Gov. Romney is a chameleon who changes with the wind...any good Republicans who loved him in Tampa should be dismayed how he contradicted most of what he righteously proclaimed six weeks ago there...now, he says, he will NOT lower taxes for the rich as one example. Now, he will save Medicare and Social Security by privatizing them. How can you believe these assertions?...you libertarians kill me. Romney is a highly conflicted man, a fine speaker, a man who hides his religion, who will ban abortion if he can, who offers support to Netanyahu over attacking Iran, who wants to increase the military budget AND pay down the national debt AND balance the budge. I'm not sure he's a charlatan, Ken, but he is a Houdini and in the end...even his supporters do not really trust him.

"Romney is a highly conflicted man, a fine speaker, a man who hides his religion, who will ban abortion if he can, who offers support to Netanyahu over attacking Iran, who wants to increase the military budget AND pay down the national debt AND balance the budge. I'm not sure he's a charlatan, Ken, but he is a Houdini and in the end...even his supporters do not really trust him." -DrDan-

Has Obama ever held a real job? Not a political position.....a real job.....?Romney is typical of what has made this country great...I'm not sure if he will solve our problems, but I do know that he doesn't cry like a little baby when he is opposed (can't say the same about Obama). Obama has a very thin skin, I don't think he was ever questioned in his life. When you run a real company and have to make real $$ decisions you have to be able to take opposition and turn it positive. When Obama is confronted, he goes back to same playbook....."war on the poor"....or even better "war on women"? what a joke.